Pedestrian control signal



May 21, 1957 l. M. HART PEDESTRIAN CONTROL SIGNAL 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 21, 1955 INVENTOR. IRWIN M. HART ll 'Il l @In 1 www May 2l, 1957 l. M. HART PEDESTRIAN CONTROL SIGNAL 2 Shets-sheet 2 Filed July 21, ,1955

INVENTOR. IRWIN M. HART BM United States Patent O PEDESTRIAN CONTROL SIGNAL Irwin M. Hart, Lorain, Ohio, assignor to Winke-Matic Signal Company, Lorain, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 21, 1955, Serial No. 523,539

6 Claims. (Cl. 340-44) This invention relates to a novel visible signal for controlling pedestrian traic at street intersections, which shall be simple, compact, eicient, economical to manufacture, and suitable for convenient mounting.

A particular object or" the invention is to provide for a changing signal of Walk and Dont Walk in letters of suitable large size, color, and brilliance, in the intermittent changing of which the pedestrian alternately sees a Walk signal in green or white, followed by a Dont Walk signal in red, or other suitable warning color, and in which the same Walk letters are used.

For simplicity, but without limitation thereto, the'warning and walk colors are hereinafter referred to as red and green.

A special feature yof the present invention is that the same Walk letters are alternately -brightly illuminated in two colors-red when illuminated with the Dont Walk signal, and green when the Dont letersare not illuminated.

More specific objects include the novel arrangement of transparent panels Ion which the large letters are sharply outlined in an opaque area illuminated -by a special arrangement of neon color tubing, so arranged as to alternately illuminate the Dont letters in red, and the timing of this illumination with relation to alternately illuminating the Walk letters in red and green. When the Walk letters are illuminated in green, the Dont letters are not illuminated.

Other details of value are providing for simple, weathertight mounting of the panels, the light tubing `and'transformers for the current supplied to light tubes permitting ventilation and accessibility, while aording thorough, effective protection against rain, snow, sleet, dust, etc.

Heretofore, signals for this general purpose have been inadequate in providing visibility for sufficient distances. It is diiiicult to bend neon tubing to form the signal letters consistent with the results desired. Furthermore, if a red neon tube spells out Dont Walk,'then the color is wrong during the Walk period.

By the present invention, yan arrangement of two-color light tube grids illuminating the letter-bearing screen, permits brilliant illumination of the Walk in red, and the discontinuing of the red and the illuminating of the same letters with equal brilliance in green, the arrangement `of the tubing being in the form of grids suitably covering the area of the letters on the screen and positioned in adjacent planes parallel to the letter-bearing screen.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an elevation of the letter-carrying panels showing both Dont and Walk illuminated in red;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing Dont unilluminated and Walle illuminated in green;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, sectional, fragmentary detail of the transparent panel showing the opaque coating at one side, the light diffusing surface at the other, and reinforcing screen wires embedded therein;

Fig. 4 is a view of the arrangement et transformers 2,793,356 Patented May 21, 1957 and electrical connections for the neon tubes, the back wall panel being removed;

Fig. 5 is a vertical, transverse section through the housing, screens and protective hood shield; and

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the right hand portion of the signal, looking toward the front, omitting the lettercarrying screens and with portions broken away, and showing the arrangement of the neon grids.

Further describing the invention by the use of reference characters applied to the drawings, a screen of glass or other transparent material 1, coated on one side with an opaque stencil 2, while the other side is formed of a pebble surface or other suitable light diiusing formation as indicated at 3. The material for this panel may,

of course, be any transparent or light transmitting mate-A rial, and it may be reinforced by an embedded wire screen indicated at 4.

The edge of the panel 1 vmay be embraced in a resilient channel around its entire perimeter, as indicated at 5. One of these panels D is mounted within the front wall 10, extending vertically across the two light comp-artments designated generally A and B, having top, bottom,

and end walls 12, 13, 14 and 15, the front wall 10 having the rectangular openings 18 and 19 of a suitable area to expose the letters Dont and Walk formed stencilfashion in the lcoating 2 at the front of the panel 1.

There are two panels 1, designated for convenience D and W to correspond to the Dont and Walk, clamped into position to 4bring the letters into registration with the openings 18 and 19 in the front wall 10. Clamping lframes 22 and 23 having openings of the same area and registering with the openings 18 and 19 shaped to embrace the sealing gaskets around the panels secured by clamping screws, as at 25, hold the panels and seal t-he light openings inthe front wall.

The two compartments A and B are separated by 'a horizontal light sealing partition 28, secured as shown to a wall member 3i) of the rear compartment, designated generally T, and comprising a metal box with side and end walls and a rear wall 32, shown as having Ventilating louvers 33 so shaped as to exclude rain, etc.

The bottom wall 13 is shown as hinged at 35 to the bottom wall of the 'box `ofv the rear compartment T. Clamping bolts shown at 38, extending through ears on the Wall 12 and top wall `of the rear compartment, may be removed to permit the front section of the housing to be swung away from the rear portion, carrying the mounting Wall 30 with it for access to the light grids and letter panels D and W, as will presently appear. The rear wall 32 is likewise removable to provide access to the compartment T. The wall 30 is essentially a supporting wall.

ln the compartment A is a red light neon grid R,

mounted in 'the conventional fashion on supports 40 and 41. A similar light tube grid R is mounted in the cornpartment B. As shown, these grid tubes are formed of -four pairs of parallel reaches of the tubing spaced a suitable -distance inwardly from the Dont and Walk panels. The spacing 4between the reaches of the tubes is such as to most effectively illuminate the letters of the panels.

In such luminous gas light tubes for a red light, transparent, uncolored glass tubing may be used, while tubes for other colors are not transparent. We may alternately illuminate the letters of the Walk panel W with red and green light by mounting the red tube grid R immediately behind the panel W, so that when illuminated simultaneously with the grid R, Aboth words Dont and Walk are brilliantly lighted in red. When the Walk signal is to `be given, Vboth the red tubes are unilluminated and idle, i. e., not energized. in this interval, light from a green neon grid G, arranged parallel to and behind the grid R', may project green light through the Walk panel, the light passing through the transparent tubing of the grid R as well as between the reaches thereof, and effectively illuminating the Walk signal in green.

The green grid G preferably comprises tive pairs of reaches, and may be carried on supports 42 and 43, and its upper and lower reach may each have offset portions, as at G', to clear supports 4S and 1116 carrying the grid R.

Within the housing compartment T are mounted the terminal units 50, 51, 52 and 53, so connected with the grids R and R as to simultaneously illuminate them with power supplied through connections indicated at S and 56, from a high voltage transformer 6%, of sutlicient capacity to supply both red light grids.

A smaller transformer and the usual associated elements is indicated at 62, which, in turn, supplies the terminals 64 and 65 connected with the green light grid.

At 70 are shown the plural connections from which lead wires, as at 71 and 72, connected to the primary coils of these transformers.

The intermittent supply of electrical power to these primaries for alternately lighting the grids may be, and usually is, under control of a master light timing control system equipment.

A particular advantage of the use o the signal of the present invention is that it may be timed with the signals for the vehicle tratiic so that pedestrians will be permitted to walk only at appropriate times for clearing the crossing, at an interval of a few seconds before the signal is given for moving the vehicle traic.

When the parts ofthe housing are in the position shown, the compartments A and B are sealed by channel gaskets 80 around the perimeter of the inner edge of the wall of the front housing portion. Projecting forwardly from the housing forming the compartments A and B is a metal hood having a top wall 90 and side wings as at 91, and a divider sheet 92 is rigidly mounted on these wings between the signal panels D and W, and preferably horizontal and in a line with the partition 2S, as shown. This hood prevents sun glare or light from other sources from obscuring the signal by reections on the face of the panels D and W, such as from commercial signs, street lamps, etc.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present pedestrian control signal avoids the shortcomings of previous signals, such as follows: If the word Walk is shown in green, this is the inappropriate color during the signal not to walk, or the Dont Walk interval; if the red color is used for the Dont Walk signal, the word Walk is inappropriately shown in red when the Dont is extinguished; or again, diiculties with forming the letters of neon tubing not only include the wrong color for one interval, but the tubing does not lend itself to sharp, easily distinguishable lettering within appropriate size.

By the present invention, the sharply formed letters may be clearly seen and of the desired size, while the sign is compact, needing only the two panels as shown and described, and in which the word Walk may be illuminated brightly in either red or green.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A pedestrian control signal comprising adjacent light enclosing compartments, each having a sign window opening, a stencil sign for one compartment carrying the word Dont, a transparent panel closing the opening of the other compartment carrying the word Walk, a neon grid light tube within the first compartment spaced from and parallel to the Dont word panel, a grid tube within the second compartment parallel with and adjacent to and illuminating the letters of the Walk panel, means for supplying said tubes with energy for iluminating them in red, the tubing for said grids being transparent, a second grid in the compartment of the Walk panel adapted to illuminate the panel with green light, and so positioned that part of its light passes through the red light tube an associated compartment in sealed relationship to the tirst two compartments and carrying transrorrners and connections for supplying the high frequency energy to said neon tubes.

2. in a pedestrian signal, the combination of two associated light transmitting panels having opaque coatings with openings forming light transmitting letter areas, one being a warning, and the other a walk signal, a transparent red light neon tube grid behind each panel, a green light tube grid behind the grid Vfor the Walk signal panel, closed compartments having wall openings closed by said panels, a back wall bridging both said compartments, and transformers and electrical connections carried by said wall for supplying high voltage alternating current for energizing the neon tubes.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 in which the back wall is movable to open the closed compartments for access to the tube grids and connections mounted on and carried lby said back wall support, and in which weather sealing means surrounds the perimeter of the tube compartments.

4. In a pedestrian signal, the combination of two adjacent light transmitting panels having opaque coatings with light transmitting letter areas therethrough reading Dont and Walk, a red light transparent neon tube grid behind each panel, a green light tube grid behind the grid for the Walk panel, housing means for the light grids and panels having a separable housing hinged thereto, and transformers and electrical connections carried in the lastnamed housing for supplying high voltage alternating current for energizing the neon tubes.

5. The structure defined in claim 4 in which the transformers and connections are enclosed in a weather-protected and louver Ventilated compartment.

6. The structure deiined in claim 4 in which the housing for the tubes and transformers is rigid and weather-protected, and a hood is provided extending forwardly above and at the sides of the superimposed warning and Walk signal panels.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,795,572 Norden Mar. l0, 1931 1,802,568 Mock Apr. 28, 1931 1,863,532 Miller lune 14, 1932 2,616,957 Thiem Nov. 4, 1952 OTHER REFERENCES American City, June 1955, pages 171-172. American City, vol. 68, lssue 2, page 139, published Feb. 1953. 

